Bottle carrier



July 18, 1967 P. J. WOOD 3,331,530

BOTTLE CARRI ER Filed Nov. 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR PRENTICE J WOOD JWfW ATTO RNEY July 18, 1967 P. J. wooo 3,331,530

BOTTLE CARRIER Filed Nov. 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet FIG?) FIG.4

in 65 J INVENTOR PRENTICE .1. wooo FIC5 v BYWd/%L%mi%w ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,331,530 BOTTLE CARRIER Prentice J. Wood, Jonesboro, Ga., assignor to The Mead Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 505,835 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-113) This invention relates to bottle carriers and more particularly to bottle carriers of the collapsible type which are specially constructed so as to aiford adequate cushioning partition means between adjacent bottles and so as to require a minimum of material from which the carrier is constructed.

Carriers of the type disclosed and claimed in United States Patent 2,537,452 are generally known as strap style carriers. Such carriers afford adequate bottle protection under most service conditions and are particularly efficient in the use of material from which they are constructed. The straps in such carriers do not afford separation between adjacent bottles except at localized areas where the relatively narrow straps are disposed.

Other carriers are known as the so-called full depth type and are arranged so as to provide a full partition structure throughout the height of the carrier. While such carriers are relatively sturdy and provide adequate bottle separation, they require substantial quantities of material.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a carrier of the so-called strap style with means for improving the separation between adjacent bottles and thereby to improve the protection afiorded the bottles without requiring any substantial additional material.

Another object of the invention is to improve substantially the protection aiforded packaged bottles in a carrier of the basic strap style type without significantly impairing the collapsibility of such a carrier.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of improved partitioning means for a strap style carrier which in addition to serving as a means for protecting the packaged bottles also serves to aid in maintaining the carrier in set-up condition without significantly interferin g with the collapsibility thereof.

The invention in one form as applied to a strap style carrier comprises a medial keel hingedly mounted on the bottom wall of the carrier together with one or more transverse partitioning tabs struck from the bottom wall and foldable upwardly into engagement with the medial keel, the keel and transverse partitioning tabs being respectively provided with cooperating notches for holding the keel and partitioning tabs in set-up conditions. Preferably, though not necessarily, a keel tab is struck from the bottom wall and arranged to be secured in face contacting relation with the keel near the midpoint of the keel so as substantially to reinforce the keel and the bottom panel. The keel itself is ordinarily struck from an area of stock material disposed adjacent one edge of the bottom wall. Material struck from areas of stock adjacent the ends of the bottom wall and doubled back on itself serves as a hinged mounting for the ends of the keel. According to a feature of the invention, the handle for the carrier comprises two pairs of telescoping panels from the outer pair of which upper partitioning straps are struck so that areas of the inner handle panels are exposed and serve as a medial partition for the carrier in the region of the handle structure from which the straps are struck.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a bottle carrier shown in set-up condition and with portions of one side and of 3,331,530 Patented July 18, 1967 one end wall broken away to expose essential features of the invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank from which the carrier depicted in FIG. 1 is formed; and in which FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 depict stages through which the blank of FIG. 2 is manipulated so as to form a completed carrier as shown in FIG. 5 in collapsed form.

In the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate one side wall of the carrier to the bottom edge of which a glue flap 2 is foldably joined along the fold line 3. End panel 4 is foldably joined to one end of side wall 1 along fold line 5 while a similar end wall 6 is foldably joined to the other end of side wall 1 along fold line 7. Foldably joined to end wall 6 along fold line 8 is a riser panel 9 and a similar riser panel 10 is foldably joined to end Wall panel 4 along fold line 11.

The handle structure of the carrier comprises telescoping handle panels, one of which is designated in the drawings by the numeral 12 and is foldably joined to riser panel 9 along fold line 8. Another handle panel 13 is foldably joined to riser panel 10 along fold line 11 and a pair of partitioning straps 14 and 15 are foldably joined respectively to handle panel 13 along fold lines 16 and 17. Partitioning strap 14 is foldably joined to side wall 1 along fold line 18 while partitioning strap 15 is foldably joined to side wall 1 along fold line 19.

The other side of the carrier comprises side wall 20 to the end edges of which end wall panels 21 and 22 are foldably joined respectively along fold lines 23 and 24. Riser panel 25 is foldably joined to end panel 22 along fold line 26 while riser panel 27 is foldably joined to end wall panel 21 along fold line 28.

Handle panel 29 is folda'bly joined to riser panel 25 along fold line 26. In like fashion, handle panel 30 is foldably joined to riser panel 27 along fold line 28. A partitioning stra 31 is foldably joined to handle panel 30 along fold line 32 and to side wall 20 along fold line 33. A similar partitioning strap 34 is foldably joined to handle panel 30 along fold line 35 at one end and at the other end the partitioning strap 34 is foldably joined to side wall 20 along fold line 36.

For the purpose of rendering the carrier portable, handle panel 13 is provided with a pair of hand gripping apertures 37 and 38 while handle panel 30 is provided with a pair of hand gripping apertures 39 and 40. When the car. rier is assembled, as is well understood, the handle panels 13 and 30 are folded into partial relation with each other along the medial fold line 41 so that the handle gripping apertures 39 and 40 register with the hand gripping apertures 37 and 38. In like fashion, handle panel 12 is provided with a pair of hand gripping apertures 42 and 43 while handle panel 29 is provided with similar apertures 44 and 45. Thus, when panels 12 and 29 are folded into flat face contacting relation along the medial fold line 46, hand gripping apertures 42 and 44 are brought into coincidence with each other and with the apertures 39 and 37. In like fashion, apertures 43 and 45 are brought into substantial coincidence with each other and with the hand gripping apertures 38 and 40.

The bottom wall of the carrier is designated in the drawings by the numeral 47 and is characterized by a medial fold line 48, a medial keel 49 and a pair of transverse partitioning tabs 50 and 51. In accordance with the invention, the medial keel 49 is provided at its ends with a pair of keel straps 52 and 53. The keel strap 52 is foldably joined to bottom wall 47 along fold line 54 and to the keel 49 along the line 55. Similarly, the keel strap 53 is foldably joined to the bottom wall 47 along fold line 56 and to the medial keel 49 along fold line 57. A pair of locking notches 58 and 59 are struck from the medial keel 49. Transverse partitioning tab 51 is foldably joined to bottom wall 47 along the fold line 59 and is provided with a notch portion 60. In similar fashion, partitioning tab 50 is foldably joined to bottom wall 47 along a fold line 61 and is provided with a notch 62. Furthermore, the tabs 50 and 51 are provided with medial fold lines 63 and 64, respectively, which constitute continuations or portions of the medial fold line 48 formed in bottom wall 47.

For the purpose of strengthening the structure of the bottom panel, a keel tab 65 is struck from the bottom wall 47 and is foldably joined thereto along a fold line 66 which coincides with the fold line 48 formed in the bottom wall 47.

In order to form the carrier depicted in FIG. 1 from the blank depicted in FIG. 2, an application of glue is made to the blank of FIG. 2 as indicated by strippled areas. Following the glue application, the keel 49 is swung over to the position depicted in FIG. 3 by simply folding the keel straps 52 and 53 upwardly and toward the right along their fold lines 54 and 56, respectively, to cause the keel straps to become afiixed to the immediately adjacent stippled areas. During this folding operation the midportion of the medial keel 49 is affixed to the keel tab 65.

During the folding of keel 49, the end panels 6 and 22 are folded up and over the side walls 20 and 1. This folding operation causes the handle panels 29 and 12 to ride upwardly and over into face contacting relation with the handle panels 30 and 13 and also causes the adjacent end edges of the riser panels 25 and 9 to become afiixed to the adjacent end edges of the handle panels 29 and 12.

In order to complete the folding operations which cause the blank as depicted in FIG. 3 to appear as depicted in FIG. 4, the riser panels 27 and 10 are folded upwardly and over the side walls 21 and 4 and the handle panels 30 and 13 along the fold lines 28 and 11. These panels then appear as shown in FIG. 4. Simultaneously, the left hand portion of the bottom panel 47 is folded up and toward the right along the medial fold line 48. Of course, this folding operation causes the keel straps 52 and 53 to swing toward the right along their fold lines 55 and 57 which are in general coincidence immediately adjacent the ends of the fold line 48. The blank then appears as depicted in FIG. 4.

In order to complete the carrier, an application of glue is made as is indicated by stippling in FIG. 4. The side wall 1, end walls 4 and 9, glue flap 2, riser panels 10 and 6 and handle panels 12 and Bare then swung upwardly and toward the left along medial fold lines 41 and 46. The handle panel 12 is thus affixed in face contacting relation to the handle panel 29 while the riser panel 10 is glued to the riser panel 27 and the riser panel 6 is glued to the riser panel 25. Simultaneously, glue flap 2 is aflixed to the edge of bottom wall 47 and the completed carrier then appears as depicted in FIG. 5.

In order to set up the collapsed carrier as depicted in FIG. 5 into the set-up condition depicted in FIG. 1, it is simply necessary to press inwardly on the end walls 4 and 21 while exerting pressure in the opposite direction on the end edges of side walls 1 and 20. This operation is well understood in the art.

As is best shown in FIG. 1, the medial keel 49 is disposed vertically and the notch 59 thereof is arranged so as to engage the notch 60 in transverse partitioning tab 51. In like fashion, the notch 58 in medial keel 49 engages the notch 62 in the transverse partitioning tab 50.

In order to set up the bottom structure of the carrier including the keel 49 and the tabs 50 and 51, it is neces-' sary to fold the keel 49 and the tabs 50 and 51 into positions generally perpendicular to the bottom wall 47. This folding operation causes the keel tab 65 to fold into normal position with respect to the bottom wall 47 due to the fact that the tab is securely affixed to one side of the medial keel 49. When so folded, one end of keel 49 abuts the end wall comprising panels 6 and 22 and holds these panels in coplanar set-up condition.

With the carrier set up as described above and as shown.

ture. Similarly, the transverse tab 50 is directly below straps 15 and 34 and cooperates therewith to form upper and lower separating means. Thus, the efiect achieved according to the invention is to provide a substantial equivalent for a full depth separating means. This result obviously is achieved with a minimum use of material.

As is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2, the straps 14 and 15 when struck from handle panel 13 leave substantial exposed areas along their lower edges. It is also apparent that this exposed area is in effect filled by the lower edge portion of panel 12 as designated for example by the small arrows and 71. Thus, the areas 70 and 71 of the handle structure immediately above the medial keel 49 serve as separating means for the bottles on one side of the handle from the bottles on the other side of the handle. Similar areas in panel 29 coincide with the areas of panel 30 from which straps 31 and 34 are struck. Thus, the equivalent of full depth structure is provided on all sides of the bottles.

Not only is the protection afforded the bottles according to this invention the substantial equivalent of that afforded by a so-called full depth style carton, this result is achieved without impairing the collapsibility of the carton. For example, in order to collapse the carton it is simply necessary to fold the transverse partitioning tabs 50 and 51 into the plane of the bottom wall panel 47 from which they were struck and then to swing the keel tab 41 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 about the fold lines 57 and 5 5 to a position of fiat face contacting relation with the bottom wall panel 47 simultaneously with the outward folding movement of end panels 4 and 21 about the fold lines 5 and 23 and the inward folding movement of end panels 6 and 22 about the fold lines 7 and 24. Thereafter, the carrier occupies the position depicted in FIG. 5.

The partition structure according to this invention also serves as a supplemental means for holding the carrier in its set-up condition as depicted in FIG. 1. For example, it is obvious that the transverse partitioning tabs 50 and 51 will prevent the outward folding of the bottom wall 47 V due to the fact that such outward folding causes the tabs 50 and 51 securely to grip the medial keel 49. This stabilizing effect adds considerably to the stability of the carrier when in set-up condition and before it is loaded with bottles.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention inwhich an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A collapsible article carrier comprising a bottom wall having a medial longitudinal fold line, opposed side walls foldably joined to the side edges of said bottom wall, end wall panels foldably joined respectively to the end edges of said side walls, riser panels foldably joined respectively to the edges of said end wall panels which are opposite from the edges thereof which are joined to said side walls,

means for securing adjacent riser panels together in fiat face contacting relation at each end of the carrier and with the riser panels extending inwardly of the carrier, 7

a handle secured at each endthereof to said riser panels, at least one partition strap on each side of said handle to form a row of, at least two article receiving cells between the handle and each side wall, said straps being foldably joined to said handle on opposite sides thereof and to the adjacent side Wall, a keel hingedly mounted on said bottom wall along said medial longitudinal fold line, and at least one transverse partitioning tab struck from said bottom wall and foldable into a substantially normal relation to said bottom wall and to said keel when the carrier is set up, said partitioning tab when in set-up condition being aligned with said partition strap to form upper and lower transverse separators for adjacent articles on each side of the handle, a medial fold line formed in said transverse partitioning tab and arranged to accommodate folding of the portions of said partitioning tab on opposite sides of said fold line into fiat face contacting relation upon collapse of said carrier, said bottom wall being joined integrally along one side edge to the bottom edge of one side wall and being foldably joined along the other edge by a glue flap to the bottom edge of the other side wall and said keel constituting an extension of said bottom wall which is struck from along said other edge thereof, and a pair of keel straps struck from the end edges of said bottom wall adjacent said other edge thereof, said keel straps being secured in flat face contacting relation to the inside surface of said bottom wall and constituting a pair of hinges at the ends of of said keel.

2. A collapsible article carrier comprising a bottom wall having a medial longitudinal fold line, opposed side walls foldably joined to the side edges of said bottom wall, end wall panels foldably joined respectively to the end edges of said side walls, riser panels foldably joined respectively to the edges of said end wall panels which are opposite from the edges thereof which are joined to said side walls, means for securing adjacent riser panels together in fiat face contacting relation at each end of the carrier and with the riser panels extending inwardly of the carrier, a handle secured at each end thereof to said riser panels, at least one partition strap on each side of said handle to form a row of at least two article receiving cells between the handle and each side wall, said straps being foldably joined to said handle on opposite sides thereof and to the adjacent side wall, a keel hingedly mounted on said bottom wall along said medial longitudinal fold line, and at least one transverse partitioning tab struck from said bottom wall and folda-ble into a substantially normal relation to said bottom wall and to said keel when the carrier is set up, said partitioning tab when in set-up condition being aligned with said partition strap to form upper and lower transverse separators for adjacent articles on each side of the handle, a medial fold line formed in said transverse partitioning tab and arranged to accommodate folding of the portions of said partitioning tab on opposite sides of said fold line into flat face contacting relation upon collapse of said carrier, and a keel tab struck from said bottom wall and foldably joined thereto along a medial fold line, said keel tab being secured to said keel intermediate said keely straps to reinforce the hinged connection between said bottom and said keel.

3. A collapsible article carrier from froma single unitary blank and comprising a bottom wall having a medial longitudinal fold line, opposed side walls foldably joined to the side edges of said bottom wall, end wall panels foldably joined respectively to the end edges of said side walls, riser panels folda'bly joined respectively to the edges of said end wall panels which are opposite from the edges thereof which are joined to said side walls, means for securing adjacent riser panels together in flat face cont-acting relation at each end of the carrier and with the riser panels extending inwardly of the carrier, a handle secured at each end thereof to said riser panels, at least one partition strap on each side of said handle to form a row of at least two article receiving cells between the handle and each side wall, said straps being foldably joined to said handle on opposite sides thereof and to the adjacent side wall, a keel hingedly mounted on said bottom wall along said medial longitudinal lfold line, one end of said keel being engageable with the adjacent end wall panels to hold such panels in coplanar set-up condition when said keel is disposed in perpendicular relation to said bottom wall and at least one transverse partitioning tab struck from said bottom wall and foldable into a substantially normal relation to said bottom Wall and to said keel when the carrier is set up, said partitioning tab when in set-up condition being aligned with said partition strap to form upper and lower transverse separators for adjacent articles on each side of the handle and being arranged for interlocking with said keel so as to hold said bottom wall in set-up condition, and a medial fold line formed in said transverse partitioning tab and arranged to accommodate folding of the portions of said partitioning tab on opposite sides of said fold line into fiat face contacting relation upon disengagement of said transverse partition t-ab from its interlocked relation with said keel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,702,144 2/1955 Forrer 220--l11 2,776,072 1/ 7 F orrer 220 113 2,792,982 5/ 1957 Malmgren 229-28 2,797,855 7/ 1957 Moore 229-42 3,054,527 9/1962 Gol'dring 220-113 3,152,719 10/1964 Woodling 2201l1 3,193,134 7/1965 Cote 2201l4 3,232,477 2/ 1966 Woodling 22 -l 13 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner. 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE ARTICLE CARRIER COMPRISING A BOTTOM WALL HAVING A MEDIAL LONGITUDINAL FOLD LINE, OPPOSED SIDE WALLS FOLDABLY JOINED TO THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM WALL, END WALL PANELS FOLDABLY JOINED RESPECTIVELY TO THE END EDGES OF SAID SIDE WALLS, RISER PANELS FOLDABLY JOINED RESPECTIVELY TO THE EDGE OF SAID END WALL PANELS WHICH ARE OPPOSITE FROM THE EDGES THEREOF WHICH ARE JOINED TO SAID SIDE WALLS, MEANS FOR SECURING ADJACENT RISER PANELS TOGETHER IN FLAT FACE CONTACTING RELATION AT EACH END OF THE CARRIER AND WITH THE RISER PANELS EXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE CARRIER, A HANDLE SECURED AT EACH END THEREOF TO SAID RISER PANELS, AT LEAST ONE PARTITION STRAP ON EACH SIDE OF SAID HANDLE TO FORM A ROW OF AT LEAST TWO ARTICLE RECEIVING CELLS BETWEEN THE HANDLE AND EACH SIDE WALL, SAID STRAPS BEING FOLDABLY JOINED TO SAID HANDLE ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF AND TO THE ADJACENT SIDE WALL, A KEEL HINGEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID BOTTOM WALL ALONG SAID MEDIAL LONGITUDINAL FOLD LINE, AND AT LEAST ONE TRANSVERSE PARTITIONING TAB STRUCK FROM SAID BOTTOM WALL AND FOLDABLE INTO A SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL RELATION TO SAID BOTTOM WALL AND TO SAID KEEL WHEN THE CARRIER IS SET UP, SAID PARTITIONING TAB WHEN IN SET-UP CONDITION BEING ALIGNED WITH SAID PARTITION STRAP TO FORM UPPER AND LOWER TRANSVERSE SEPARATORS FOR ADJACENT ARTICLES ON EACH SIDE OF THE HANDLE, A MEDIAL FOLD LINE FORMED IN SAID TRANSVERSE PARTITIONING TAB AND ARRANGED TO ACCOMMODATE FOLDING OF THE PORTIONS OF SAID PARTITIONING TAB ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FOLD LINE INTO FLAT FACE CONTACTING RELATION UPON COLLAPSE OF SAID CARRIER, SAID BOTTOM WALL BEING JOINED INTEGRALLY ALONG ONE SIDE EDGE TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF ONE SIDE WALL AND BEING FOLDABLY JOINED ALONG THE OTHER EDGE BY A GLUE FLAP TO THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE OTHER SIDE WALL AND SAID KEEL CONSTITUTING AN EXTENSION OF SAID BOTTOM WALL WHICH IS STRUCK FROM ALONG SAID OTHER EDGE THEREOF, AND A PAIR OF KEEL STRAPS STRUCK FROM THE END EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM WALL ADJACENT SAID OTHER EDGE THEREOF, SAID KEEL STRAPS BEING SECURED IN FLAT FACE CONTACTING RELATION TO THE INSIDE SURFACE OF SAID BOTTOM WALL AND CONSTITUTING A PAIR OF HINGES AT THE ENDS OF OF SAID KEEL. 